Bengals OL Tanner Hawkinson hopeful with opportunity

Tanner Hawkinson ined up next to Andrew Whitworth as the first-team guard during OTAs.(Photo: The Enquirer/Cara Owsley)

The reps may only have been for one day, they may not last much longer, but second-year offensive lineman Tanner Hawkinson doesn't concern himself with those logistics.

For the second week of organized team activities Hawkinson lined up next to Andrew Whitworth as the first-team guard. Even in restricted contact OTAs, those are opportunities to be taken seriously.

"It's exciting," Hawkinson said. "I can't necessarily worry about too much of what is going on with other people but I just need to focus on myself and what I am doing and being sure I am on my assignments and playing to the best of my ability and trying to improve each day and not stay complacent. It is exciting, getting those reps, but I just got to focus on myself."

One year after being injected into the whirlwind of offseason and training camp, Hawkinson feels much more comfortable in himself and his role, which could be a significant advantage for the Bengals come September.

Hawkinson, selected in the fifth round last year, impressed coaches with his mobility and quickness. At 6-foot-5 and 300 pounds coming out of Kansas coaches compared him to former Bengals guard Eric Steinbach in his ability to pull and sustain blocks in space. Then in the fourth quarter of the preseason opener Hawkinson injured his ankle and all opportunity to gain valuable game experience disappeared.

He made the 53-man roster and was active for five games, only making an appearance in mop up of the Week 16 win against Minnesota.

Last season played out as essentially a redshirt year and one the team knew he needed upon being drafted. Hawkinson needed to add strength and did just that over the course of the year. With injuries abound on the offensive line with guard/center Mike Pollak on the mend, guard Clint Boling recovering from an ACL tear as well as Andre Smith missing practice this week, Hawkinson thrust into the first-team role.

Whitworth fills a backup role at guard as well if the coaches move Newhouse into his left tackle spot with Smith healthy.

The musical chairs go round and round up front. The interior of the Bengals line is cloudy, but Hawkinson received the majority of the snaps at the guard position which offensive line coach Paul Alexander sees as a natural fit. He was forced into time at tackle due to the numbers last year.

He's got a long way to go and an uphill battle to scratch the starting lineup this year, but that depends on how much he's improved. How much he's improved since last year won't really be known, however, until the pads go on.

"He obviously has tremendous quickness and athleticism," Alexander said. "He can pull and do things in space and he's gotten a little stronger. He's had to grow up in terms of filling out with strength and maturity. He's a little better than he was last year. He just needs reps now."

Hawkinson returned home during the offseason months and enjoyed his first chance to reflect on the wild process of experiencing the uncertainty of his first NFL season. This year feels as comfortable as last year did confusing.

"It's everything," he said. "How practices are structured, lifting, more familiarity with the players and coaches. That first year you are always asking hey, what's going on here, what's going on there. How do we do these things? Everything feels so much better the second year around."

Hard not to feel better when lining up with the first team. Even if the expiration date on the placement may be quickly approaching.

"It's a big opportunity whenever you are in that position," he said. "It's a good feeling."